


5 times Ward propositioned Fitz + 1 time Fitz took the initiative

by LuccaAce



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: 5+1 Things, F/M, Jossed, Loss of Virginity, M/M, Pining, Simmons is a good bro
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-16
Updated: 2014-03-18
Packaged: 2018-01-15 23:41:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,629
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1323610
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LuccaAce/pseuds/LuccaAce
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Fitz is an expert at pining. Ward doesn't understand why Fitz can't buy a clue.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So I realized that I was writing a 5+1 story partway through. I hadn't intended on torturing poor Fitz that much, but once the outline began to reveal itself, I couldn't resist.
> 
> Not beta'd, so please let me know about any issues you see. I'd love to have a cleaner work!

1.

Fitz considered himself to be something of an ace at pining. He could play off a crush (or an obsession) so well and for so long that he usually ended up as close friends with the objects of his affection with less than no chance of ever becoming more. Sure, his crushes (adorations) lasted longer than he cared to admit, and, yes, okay, he may lie to the objects of his affection about exactly when he gets over them, but he doesn't know what else to do. He's one of those saps who would rather have the person around and not be able to be theirs than not see them at all.

Case in point: Jemma. When he'd first met her, when they were both too young and too smart for their own good, he'd fallen hard and well. Within a year they had become FitzSimmons and she felt comfortable trusting him with all of her deepest secrets, including her overwhelming preference for men at least a decade and a half her senior. Fitz (eventually) let go of any romantic hopes he had for her and settled, quite happily,  into the role of loving brother.

So when he got to know the stoic and unfairly handsome Grant Ward during his assignment to the Bus, he was prepared to go through the whole thing again. After their first successful mission as a team, when he'd wanted to climb the man like a tree, and the adorable hacker they adopted obviously felt the same but with a greater likelihood of success, Simmons gave Fitz that look, telling him that she knew what was going on under those adorable curls of his. He rolled his eyes and told himself sternly that he wasn't going to be thinking about the way Ward had sorta smiled at him for hours and hours, nope, no way.

As time passed and Fitz and Ward got to know each other more, the fraternal nature of Ward's feelings for him was practically palpable. Fitz told himself he was okay with that, especially as Skye and Ward seemed to be so in love.

They fought Centipede and the Clairvoyant side by side for what felt like ages, growing closer and closer as a team, and sometimes Fitz could even believe that he was happy for the beautiful couple. Simmons, lovely sisterly Simmons, shook her head and hugged him tight.

"Do you still have regrets about leaving the lab?" Ward was drinking something dark and alcoholic in the communal area of the Bus, regarding his glass thoughtfully, but obviously speaking to Fitz.

"Not too often," he answered truthfully. "Sometimes, when the day's been especially difficult or the equipment limitations here are highlighted I'll think 'See, Fitz, should've stayed in your nice safe lab,' but those moments pass quickly enough. More quickly than they used to." He didn't ask what prompted the question. If Ward wanted him to know, he'd tell him. If not, asking would likely be a waste of breath anyway.

Ward just nodded, frowning into his liquor. "Skye and I broke up."

"I'm sorry to hear that, mate," Fitz said immediately, moving awkwardly toward his friend, stopping a few feet in front of him and uncomfortably shifting his weight between his feet. It had been over a year, working with this man, but he still felt the excited thrum in his veins whenever he got close. Brotherly feelings or not, it hadn't been long enough to crush his hopeless adoration.

Ward snorted. "It was about a month ago." He looked up, amusement breaking through the melancholy. "We just can't seem to help but live in each other's pockets. We're still friends, but that's it. It's weird, you know? Sometimes I miss the physical aspect of the relationship, but usually I'm just glad not to have those expectations anymore."

Fitz thought about saying something—indicating his understanding or something inane and expected—but he couldn't honestly do that. He'd never had an actual relationship, or even gone past a few clumsy kisses with anyone. He loved hard and completely, and none of the people he'd fallen for had ever loved him back.

Dark eyes watched him closely, and Fitz began to feel uncomfortable just hovering near his friend, so he sat close enough to hopefully offer some feeling of solidarity but far enough to look him in the eye. Once Fitz was settled in his spot, he patted Ward awkwardly on the shoulder, more kindly than he usually did.

"I'm glad the pair of you can still be friends," he settled on saying, smile tilted slightly back to accommodate for Ward's height.

Ward looked calculating and hard. It didn't scare Fitz anymore. "Do you know why she wanted to break things off with me?" His voice had more gravel in it than it had a moment ago. Fitz wondered just how rough his drink really was as he sat captivated by the way Ward's eyes never left his own. Realizing that Ward was waiting for an answer, Fitz shook his head slowly.

"Of course you don't," Ward sighed, standing up,  and the strange feeling of stillness and calm that had enveloped Fitz as he stared into Ward's face evaporated.

"I'm sorry?" Fitz tried turning to look at Ward again.

"Don't be," Ward advised. Then he left Fitz alone with the remains of what turned out to be an exceptionally smooth Scotch and a vast well of confusion.

***

"You told him you were sorry they broke up?" Simmons wondered aloud, looking at Fitz disappointedly.

"It was the polite thing to say," Fitz hissed back. "Besides, I don't fancy seeing either of them hurting. Or dealing with the aftermath of a messy breakup."

She rolled her eyes. "I figured they'd broken up by the relative quiet coming from Skye's pod these past few weeks. Well, if there's any proof that a pair of people can move past romantic feelings and into a healthy, close friendship, it's us!"

Snorting, Fitz couldn't help but comment. "Except for the part where you never had any romantic feelings for me. And I'm a pro at getting over people, Simmons. Not everyone is as good at it as I am."

"The only thing you're good at is getting so attached that your ridiculous sense of loyalty won't even let you contemplate sleeping with anyone except the object of your affection. It's frankly ridiculous, a man as pretty as you still being a virgin at your age."

"Fitz is a virgin?" Skye wondered aloud, looking thrilled at the information.

"Simmons," he groaned. "Why do you feel the need to bring that up so often?"

The girls both assured him that she didn't, actually, bring it up that often since Skye was just now hearing about it. Then they cooed over his poor virginal state for far longer than Fitz felt was strictly necessary. He ended up banging his way out of the lab into his pod, curling up with his tablet, making a list of things he wanted re-stocked on the Bus.

They were headed to the Hub for some repairs to the Bus. Their last mission had resulted in some issues that were actually fairly minor, but the equipment Fitz had on hand was insufficient to deal with it, and they couldn't exactly roll up into a welding shop with the Bus. Everyone was excited at the prospect of a few days' downtime, literally and figuratively, but Fitz couldn't help but wonder, a little bitterly, if Ward would be looking for someone to provide the 'physical aspects' he missed in his relationship with Skye.

Telling himself it was none of his business, he got to work on the requisite set up and outlines necessary for the engineers at the Hub to properly repair their Bus. They didn't really need the guidance, but he would rather do a little extra work now and get it out of the way than be called back in later to consult. He also wanted the distraction from poisonous thoughts of Ward sidling up to some dark-haired beauty in a club and taking her to a fancy hotel room.

It wasn't any of his business, anyway.

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short-ish chapter. They're all pretty short, but I like this format for posting.

2.

"So why are you still a virgin?" Ward snuck up on Fitz as he sat in the not far from the Hub. The repairs were going smoothly and Coulson had practically ordered the Scot to go enjoy the time they had on the ground.

"Bloody Simmons and Skye," Fitz cursed, knocking his whiskey back harshly. He glowered at the bottles behind the bar. "Not everyone is Agent Grant Ward with your body and your face and your voice. We don't all have beautiful women and men throwing themselves at us, wanting to sleep with us all the time. But I could 'pull' someone, if I wanted," he defended himself. "I thought about it, you know, going to a place like this, picking someone up — or being picked up — and 'p _unching my v-card_.'" Fitz's voice dripped with disdain at the phrase. "But it never seemed worth the trouble, just to say that yes, I've had a sub-par experience of what is supposedly an intimate act with someone who I don't actually care for."

For a moment, Ward was silent. Then he leaned close, well within Fitz's personal space. "Have you ever considered having an excellent experience of what can be an extremely intimate act with someone you know you trust?" His voice was soft, air from the words stirring the curls near Fitz's ear, and held a dangerous suggestion.

"N-no," Fitz admitted, swallowing thickly. "I can't say that opportunity has ever presented itself to me."

"And if it did?" Now Ward's body had migrated even closer, brushing against Fitz from shoulder to hip. His voice retained that predatory edge.

"This is a bad idea," Fitz informed him, and himself, turning around to look Ward in the eye. Ward didn't seem to believe him, if the smile, slow and hot as lava, spread across his face. He didn't really believe himself. "A really bad idea," he tried again, licking his lips.

Ward's eyes followed the movement of his tongue, and he leaned closer still. Fitz had plenty of time to move away, plenty of space to avoid him, but he'd been so in love for so long, and he loved this man so much, that he couldn't. His breathing hitched as Ward's mouth hovered over his own, breaths puffing into his mouth, a preview of the taste of this man.

"If it ever becomes not a bad idea," Ward murmured, lips not quite brushing Fitz's, "I hope you let me know." And he left. Again.

Once Ward was out the door, Fitz let his head thunk onto the bartop. The bartender, sympathetically, placed another whiskey in arm's reach. "Better luck next time, bud," he commiserated.

***

"You turned him down?" Simmons marveled. "But why?"

"Because I don't want him to bloody sleep with me because he feels sorry for me!" Fitz whispered, although it wasn't strictly necessary with most of the team still away. "He only offered because he knows I trust him, and because he knows he's good in bed, and because, I don't know, maybe he felt a sense of duty to offer or something? Or maybe he's just randy from not having anyone on the regular since the break up. I don't know! It just didn't...feel right. Besides, if he'd gone for it, there at the end, I definitely wouldn't have said no again." He felt his face heat at the memory of Ward's mouth so close to his face, the feel of his body-heat against his side, the taste of his breath on his mouth. "Buggery fuck," he hissed, hands covering his face.

"Well you would've, if you weren't so stupid sometimes," Simmons informed him smugly. She didn't react at all to Fitz's glare.

"Is there a problem here?" Coulson looked between the two scientists, who both flushed, but for different reasons.

"No sir," they chorused. Coulson had relaxed a lot on fraternization regs since they started their journey together. From threatening Ward and May into all but breaking up to being in support of Skye and Ward's relationship. He still worried about possible negative repercussions from fallout, but he'd come to realize that when people live in that close of quarters over an extended time, sex happens. It's better if it's in the open (figuratively) where it can be addressed and progress naturally than to deal with sneaking around on top of everything else they faced on a daily basis.

"I didn't know you'd come back, sir," Simmons remarked. She straightened her lab coat and glasses and smiled pleasantly at their boss. For all she ridiculed Fitz for his lack of a sex life (or history), she didn't see bedroom action very often. Her tastes ran very particularly, and she was too sweet for anything so crass as a hookup.

Coulson smiled back at her. He obviously had no idea the effect he had on the young biologist. "I just came back on to inspect the progress. You two should still be out enjoying yourselves. The teams are capable of taking care of our Bus."

"With all due respect, sir, if you truly believed that, wouldn't you still be outside as well?" A teasing note snuck into Simmons' voice. Coulson's mouth twitched in a smirk.

Fitz rolled his eyes. "Well, I think I'm done here. Gonna go check in on some old mates in the lab while I still have the chance. Don't have too much fun without me, Simmons." As he left, he communicated, via complex and minute eyebrow twitches, that she owed him for this.

Looking a little confused, Coulson turned back to Simmons. "So what plans did you have? And don't say you're just staying on the Bus. As you mentioned, we both need to get off of this plane for a while."


	3. Chapter 3

3.

Alone once more, Fitz sighed to himself and kicked at a stray rock. "Simmons is going to have a good time at least." He stopped in a park, squinting at the sky and wondering if he should go find and then apply sunscreen. With his fair coloring, it only took a few minutes to turn him into a miserable pink mess.

"Why's she off having fun without you?"

It was Ward. Of course it was Ward.

"She's with Coulson and I didn't want to interfere," Fitz told him.

Ward raised his eyebrows. "Simmons and Coulson? I didn't see that one coming."

Fitz just shrugged. "If she's lucky, which she usually is with that sort of thing. I think it's her face and her little voice. Men tend to think she's more innocent than she is. Not that she's some sort of deviant or anything—she doesn't pick guys up very often at all—but she always manages to get who she wants."

"And now she wants Coulson?" Disbelief colored Ward's words, and Fitz felt himself getting annoyed.

"Yes, not that it's any of your business. What are you doing here anyway?" He glared at Ward, barely resisting the childish urge to cross his arms and huff. Barely.

To Fitz's further annoyance, Ward just smirked. "Maybe I saw you wandering out here all alone and thought I'd keep you company."

And just like that, all the steam left Fitz. He really was a little lonely; Simmons was probably getting all cozy with Coulson while Fitz had nobody. "Maybe that'd be okay," he ventured cautiously, trying not to sound like being with Ward was everything he wanted to do all the time.

Ward smiled genuinely this time. "Cool. So what do you science types do for fun on a day off?"

Fitz snorted. "The same thing as anyone else, I guess. I was hoping to go for a walk in the park while I have a chance. With the way things have been since I signed up for field work, the only time I see the great outdoors is when I'm running for my life through them."

"That sounds nice," Ward commented. "Mind if I join you?"

'Now you ask,' Fitz thought, but he was fighting a blush and trying not to fidget happily. "Come on, then. How's this trail look to you?" It was well-walked with trees forming a canopy and streams and splashes of sunlight breaking the shade.

"Lead the way," Ward replied, holding his hand out in a courtly gesture.

The pair walked for several hours, Ward listening patiently as Fitz talked about various frustrations with the Bus' lab and his excitement at the potential breakthroughs. Ward asked meaningful questions, and Fitz was thrilled at how, even if Ward wasn't terribly familiar with the scientific concepts Fitz was trying to apply to his work, he was intelligent enough to follow along.

Fitz, in turn, listened to Ward's tales of intrigue and espionage from his days before Coulson's team, and he laughed until he hurt at some of the stories of times spent under Agent Garrett.

"Careful," Ward cautioned, reaching out to steady Fitz as he tripped over a wayward tree trunk. His hand was warm and pleasant on the small of Fitz's back. Fitz mumbled something about being terminally clumsy, trying not to lean into the touch. "Don't worry about it. As long as you manage to stay upright when we're running for our lives."

"I'll try, but you should probably stick close to make sure," Fitz replied, grinning up at his teammate.

The gleam in Ward's eye was one Fitz was becoming more familiar with these past few days. "That wouldn't be much of a chore," he said, thumb stroking over the ridge of his spine.

"Good," Fitz answered inanely, voice much too high. "That's good."

"Have you reconsidered?" Ward asked softly, catching and holding Fitz's gaze.

He thought about playing dumb, asking what he was talking about, but with the placement of Ward's hand, the predatory look on his face, and the timbre of his voice, it was pointless. "M-maybe," Fitz managed, swallowing around the sudden dryness in his throat.

"You should think about it," was all Ward said, then he stepped away and, before launching into another story, added, "I think you'd enjoy yourself."

By the time Fitz gathered his wits about him, Ward was nearly out of earshot. They didn't mention it the rest of the walk.

***

"So what are you going to say next time he asks?" Simmons wondered, sprawled on one of the doubles in the hotel room. They could have stayed at the Hub, or even on the Bus, but they both decided that they were tired of SHIELD issued sheets and mattresses, and that they had enough saved up to splurge on a nice hotel. Field work certainly had its advantages.

Fitz gripped his hair tightly. "I don't know! Part of me wants to say yes, but I don't know if I'm emotionally capable of dealing with...whatever he's offering. I don't want a one-off, Simmons, you know that. I want forever." He ended with his face buried in his hands, voice muffled and dejected.

"Poor Fitz," she cooed. "I do know that. You should tell Ward that, though. Maybe he'll want to pursue a relationship!"

The snort that came from the general direction of Fitz's bed, where he was now curled on his side facing the wall, spoke volumes about how he felt about that.

"Well, if you're going to be like that, then I suppose I'll leave you in the dark as to how things went with Coulson yesterday," Simmons said. Fitz turned over, looking curiously at her.

"Things went somewhere with Coulson?" He tried to sound less surprised than he felt. Despite what he'd said to Ward that afternoon, he hadn't really believed that Coulson would go for it.

Simmons smiled dreamily. "Oh yes. Not that he's stated any intentions or anything, but we had a lovely time walking through the streets, looking at the small shops and vendors. He even bought me a drink from a local coffee shop. It was so romantic." She sighed. "It was very date-like, even though any mention of it made him feel vaguely uncomfortable. I'm certain that those feelings will pass, however, and he will soon realize that he is not too old for me and is, actually exactly the right age."

"Be careful Simmons," Fitz cautioned. He knew it wasn't likely to be heeded, but he couldn't help but see all the ways that her dating their boss could go awry.

"I know, Fitz," she answered, smiling shrewdly at him. "You too."


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Um, so this chapter gets a teensy bit steamier than the rest. Just a bit. Most of the reason for the rating is coming in Chapter 6.

4.

They were back on the Bus, back on a mission still trying to route the last of the Clairvoyant's followers, when they had the rare pleasure of an overnight stay in a hotel.

The mission itself had been hellish, as most which require overnight stays tend to be. Jemma had nearly died, a situation that happened very rarely, and Coulson was visibly shaken over it. The two of them, Simmons and Coulson, were talking in the small hotel cafe, voices low and heads drawn together. Jemma's face showed some residual  strain from the day's events, but if one looked close enough, they could see hands clasping under the table. Fitz knew Jemma would be just fine.

Of course, that left him alone again, walking by the pool, head down and teeth grinding. He knew Jemma would be fine, but it had been so close. Not as close as the time when she'd thrown herself out of the plane, of course, but still closer than any of them would prefer.

Thoughts of the Chitauri virus that had nearly taken his best friend's life led to thoughts of Ward. Fitz had been so worried that day, terrified he would lose Jemma and then terrified that Ward would see him the same way field agents had always seen him—weak and useless. Now Ward knew better, but Fitz still struggled to show himself as a strong, independant man who deserved to be out in the field.

Then there were days like the one he was happy to see end. Days when he wanted to have the courage and the _right_ to wrap himself in Ward's strong arms and wait for the storm to pass.

"How are you holding up?"

Fitz nearly jumped out of his skin, and he swore he would manage to not be surprised by the handsome field agent one of these days. "I'm going to get you a bell," he gritted out.

"Sorry," Ward winced, and he actually looked apologetic. "Question still stands."

"As well as ever, I guess," Fitz replied, unable to hide his bone deep weariness. "Waiting for the day to be over so I can go ahead and start to make something better of tomorrow."

Ward stood close to Fitz, his broad shoulder a comforting weight against Fitz. "Anything I can do to help?"

"This is good," Fitz told him leaning on Ward and closing his eyes. "This helps."

A strong arm came around Fitz's shoulders, pulling him in closer to press against a hard chest. "I can do this," Ward assured him, holding him close and rubbing a calming hand across Fitz's shoulders.

After a few minutes, or it could have been a few hours as far as Fitz could tell, Ward drew back a little. Fitz slowly opened his eyes, looking up into Ward's face. The expression there was hungry, and so focused it made Fitz's heart race.

"I can do more than this, too," Ward said, leaning in close enough that Fitz could see the near-black ring around Ward's rich brown irises. This time he didn't stop at a half a breath away. This time he pressed in, pressed his mouth against Fitz's, who gasped and clutched at Ward's shoulders to keep from falling over.

Hours passed, or minutes, Fitz still couldn't tell, as Ward drew small noises and gasps, just from applying the right combination of lips, tongue, and a trace of teeth to Fitz's pink lips. He pulled Fitz even closer, hand settling on the smaller man's lower back, drawing their bodies together as close as they could get in the courtyard next to a hotel pool. Fitz felt the warmth of Ward's arousal pressing against his hip, and he couldn't help but bite down, just a little, as he felt a muscled thigh rub just right.

"Ward," Fitz managed, speaking into his wicked mouth.

"It's Grant," Ward—no, Grant—corrected him, sounding as rough as he had that night on the Bus. 'Do you know why she broke up with me,' he'd asked, and Fitz wondered what he was missing.

"Come to my room with me," Grant ordered, sounding desperate and so, so alone. He traced the edge of Fitz's ear with his bottom lip.

Fitz wanted to—oh, how he wanted to—but he was suddenly afraid of the loneliness he'd heard in Grant's voice. He wanted Grant, absolutely he did, but he wanted him completely. One evening in a hotel after the mission from Hell, when they were all rough around the edges and painfully aware of their own mortality was not nearly enough.

Reluctantly, slowly, Fitz pulled back. He couldn't look Grant in the eye. "I can't."

Grant dropped his hands and stepped away from Fitz. "Why?" He spoke through his teeth.

"I'm really sorry," Fitz insisted, risking a glance up. He caught a fleeting glimpse of Grant, vulnerable and alone, before Ward slipped back into place.

"Of course," Ward said, then scrubbed a hand violently through his black hair. He walked away angrily and a little awkwardly. When Fitz realized that he was trying to walk around his erection, he felt his face flush an even brighter red, which he hid in his hands.

"What's wrong with me?" He directed his question at the still blue water of the pool, but the water didn't respond.

***

Simmons waltzed into Fitz's room with a happy smile on slightly swollen lips. Fitz was happy for her, really, but he was all too aware of the state of his own mouth. When he licked his lips, he could taste Ward—Grant—and feel the slight bruising from a few of his more desperate kisses. Jemma, bless her, just took one look at him, ruffled his hair, and went into her own room.

As Fitz lay in bed, still licking his lips, he wondered what would have happened had he said yes. Would he still be in Grant's room right now, pressed against the field agent at hips and chest and mouth? Would Grant have wanted to lay him down and demonstrate what it was to be with someone he trusted, someone he liked, who knew what to do?

Or would Grant have allowed Fitz—no, Leo, he would be Leo in Grant's bed—to explore and discover. Fitz would bet that Grant would have liked seeing the way that Leo's scientific mind bled into everything else. He may have chuckled at a few of Leo's questions, not maliciously, but with delight.

Leo bit his lip and imagined that it was Grant doing the biting, and he slipped a hand around his erection. Would Leo be able to hold back his endearments and declarations, had he let Grant take him to bed? How would Grant have reacted? Maybe he would have been pleased, honored, to have such a high place in Leo's regard.

Was Grant touching himself right then, wondering the same things Leo was?

That thought sent Fitz over the edge, gasp sounding like a gunshot in the stillness of the room. He used his undershirt from the day before to mop up his mess, then rolled over and hugged his pillow as he want to sleep. And if he imagined that it was Grant he was holding, well, no one would ever know.

 

 


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shorter chapter again. Only one left to go!

5.

Fitz was pretty sure that Ward wasn't going to try anymore. Fitz was obviously an idiot with no clue how people actually did sex and relationships, and he was well aware that Ward didn't need to put up with that crap. He could have anyone he wanted, and it was pointless for him to continue wanting Fitz.

That was why, less than a week later, Fitz was shocked to be cornered and then shoved into one of the walls making up the corner by none other than Agent Grant Ward himself.

"Can you at least tell me why?" Ward sounded annoyed, but his mask was cracking and Fitz could see the desperation that prompted the question.

"Why does it matter?" Fitz shot back, shoving at Ward's chest and getting nowhere. "You could have anyone you wanted, don't even pretend like that isn't true, so why are you so set on the skinny, pasty, little, annoying engineer?" He had kept up the shoving the duration of the speech, and although Ward had stopped looming shortly after he began listing his own flaws, the man's chest was as unyielding as ever.

Ward blinked a few times, then got angry. "Is that honestly how you see yourself? If that's all that's holding you back, then you need to get over it." He softened, big hands coming up to cup the balls of Fitz's shoulders. "Let me show you that you're so much more than that. Let me show you how I see you." He whispered the last sentence, and his eyes were bright with emotion.

"I'm not like other people, Grant," Leo managed, shattering their eye contact to stare at the tips of his shoes. "I can't just have sex with someone for a good time. I _feel_ so damn much. I fall in love faster than the dropping of an icicle off an eave, and then I am so fucking faithful to that person. Even though they never love me back. They only see me as their sweet little friend, little brother, little partner. It…" Now he worked his way past Grant, so he had no chance of seeing the other man's face as he poured himself all over the pavement. "It wouldn't be very good for my heart, I'm afraid."

Neither of them said anything more for a long moment.

"Fine." Ward's voice clipped the stillness neatly. "I get it. I won't bother you any more."

"Fine," Leo agreed, hiding the enormous lump in his throat through sheer determination.

It wasn't fine, though. He'd lied.

***

Fitz was tinkering with his D. W. A. R. F.s in the lab when Skye thundered in.

"What the hell did you do?" She sounded angrier than he'd ever heard her. When he looked up, her face was a picture of righteous fury and the clench of her fists promised retribution.

He opened his mouth a few times before anything would come out. "I'm sorry?"

"You better be," she said. "Seriously, though, what did you _do_ to him? He's gone all Terminator again, and it doesn't take a _rocket scientist_ ," she said this with a glare and an edge of a hiss, "to figure out why."

"You're talking about Ward," Fitz confirmed. When she added grinding her teeth to her glare, he swallowed. "Right. I don't know? He's been all weird lately, since he found out that I'm a virgin since someone told him even though it wasn't his or her business," he glared right back at her because, oh yeah, that was all her fault. Hers and Simmons'. "I just told him to stop. It isn't nice."

"You think he was trying to have sex with you because you're a virgin? He's only known that since we were at the Hub last! Geez, for someone so smart you're sure a dumbass sometimes."

"I beg your pardon," Fitz interrupted, because he was a lot of probably awful things, but his intelligence had always been something he'd been proud of. "I know when he found out. That's when he started with the awkward...propositions."

Skye looked dumbfounded, and then very annoyed. "Didn't he talk to you about why we broke up? He was supposed to talk to you about why we broke up."

"What? Yeah, he mentioned it. But he didn't tell me why. He asked me, then looked at me like I was supposed to know something…" he trailed off as he finished the sentence, remembering the way Ward had been looking at him that night, the desire in his eyes and the gravel in his voice. "I'm a dumbass," he admitted. "But so is he! If he'd just _said_ something, Jesus."

Fitz rushed around, closing the diagnostic programs and powering down the D. W. A. R. F.s in a hurry.

"Fitz, what are you doing?" Skye looked puzzled.

"Fixing it," he told her, and her grin lit up the lab.

 


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahoy, me hearties! Here lies sex (in the form of blowjobs)! Also, Leo is a potty mouth in bed. I figure he's a Scotsman, so it made sense in my head. And, just so you know, this chapter is at least as long as most of the other two. Oops? I can't write short porn. I just can't.

+1.

Fitz found Ward near the bar in the common area of the Bus, which he found hilariously appropriate.

"Agent Ward, do you mind if I have a word with you in private?" He somehow managed not to stutter or sound like a twelve year old, which made him ridiculously proud of himself.

It was difficult to tell who was more surprised, Coulson, sitting on one of the couches, Jemma, sitting a little too close to him, or Ward himself, who paused in pouring himself something dry and double to stare. May, lurking in one of the corners, didn't look surprised at all.

"Of course." His voice was stiff, and Fitz could see the Terminator comparison. They went to Fitz's pod, since they were the only really private places on the plane. Coincidentally, if things went as well as Fitz was hoping they would, being there would be extremely convenient.

"About damn time," he heard May comment, a thread of amusement faintly coloring her voice.

Fitz couldn't agree more.

"What did you need, Agent Fitz?" Ward stood at parade rest and Fitz couldn't help himself. He launched himself at Ward, wrapping him tightly in a hug and burying his face in his chest. "Fitz?"

"I'm so sorry. I thought you were just screwing with me or something. Not that I think you're that type of person. But I've never had anyone like me back, you see, so that wasn't ever something I thought to consider." He refused to let go, and Ward seemed not to mind having an engineer clinging to him like a lifeline.

Finally, the tension that seemed to be holding Ward together melted, and Grant worked his arms out from Leo's grasp to return the hug. "Like you back?" He sounded light, happy. "Those other people must have been idiots not to have wanted you." His voice was so tender and soft that it made Leo hug him tighter to try to hold back the moisture in his eyes.

"Don't talk about Simmons like that," he said instead, choking on his emotions all the same.

Grant pulled back a little and rested his forehead against Fitz's. "Do you know why Skye broke up with me?" The question was familiar, and Fitz felt like he might know the answer.

"Did it have something to do with me?" It seemed highly unlikely— who would possibly want Leopold Fitz when they could have Skye? — but it was the only explanation that fit the bill. As Sherlock Holmes, and later Spock, had said, when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.

"Only everything," Grant said, rolling his eyes fondly. "I'm going to kiss you now."

This time Leo was ready for it, and he leaned in to meet Grant halfway. Grant's mouth was as soft and wonderful as he remembered, and he snuck his tongue out to capture a small taste of those lips. When Grant licked out to meet it, Leo felt his knees go weak.

"Careful," Grant warned, smiling with such stark fondness that it made Leo stare. "Maybe we should wait until we have some sort of actual privacy."

Fitz was suddenly, embarrassingly, aware of all the people just outside the pod who had seen them go in together. "That's why you're the field agent, Ward. Grant," he corrected himself, unable to help leaning in to press another soft kiss to that mouth.

Grant grinned against his mouth before returning the kiss with interest.

"Oh, and Grant?" Leo pulled back enough so that the man in question could see the mischief dancing in his eyes. "I've recently developed a portable soundproofing mechanism that should keep sounds firmly within a set radius. Want to come back later and test it out?" His cheeks practically radiated warmth with the force of his blush, but he grinned through it.

"Absolutely, Leo," Grant promised.

***

"I feel like a teenager again, sneaking around behind my parents to be with a boy." Grant admitted, laying across Fitz's bed and looking far too distracting to be so close to a man trying to install a temporary soundproof barrier. When Leo told him as much, Grant only grinned. "It's for motivation. The faster you get that thing set up, the faster you can join me." And with that, he whipped his shirt over his head, revealing the torso that had kept Leo up tossing and turning, and tossing, if you catch his meaning, many, many nights.

"Not fair," he pouted.

Instead of feeling any sympathy, Grant just grinned and ran a lazy hand down his chest, stopping to scratch at his happy trail before reaching down and cupping himself through his sweatpants. "Like I said, it's motivation. If you take too long, I may get started without you."

Leo let out a high whine that he would later deny and set to putting up the most effective temporary sound barrier that the world had ever seen. From the way that Grant watched him, and the way he gripped himself when Leo managed to get it done, Leo's competence was obviously doing something for him. Leo grinned at Grant when he finished, curls falling over his forehead, eyes shining with success, and he was obviously unaware of the picture he made.

"God, get over here," Grant demanded. Leo considered refusing, teasing Grant a little, but he wanted this too badly to play those games just yet. "Do you have any idea how hot you are when you're screwing with your toys? Or how many times I've watched those capable hands put something together and wonder how they'd feel against me?"

"Yeah?" Leo drifted over to him, smiling with a pink face.

"Yeah," Grant told him as he sat up. He reached out quickly and tugged Leo to him, drawing the smaller man between his thighs.

"Damn, is all of you this fucking firm?" Leo marveled running brave hands along the outside of Grant's legs and up his hips.

Grant smirked, then redirected Leo's wandering hand to between Grant's legs, right up against where the man was hot and hard. "What do you think?" Despite his bravado, Grant couldn't keep from gasping as Leo's inquisitive hand grasped and slid gently.

"Fuck," Leo said reverently. He licked his lips and Grant could see the way his pupils dilated with arousal.

"Getting there," Grant gritted, panting before grabbing Leo's hand and pulling it away from his dick, redirecting it to press a kiss to the palm. "You're a little too dressed for that right now."

Leo tried to respond, maybe to say something smart, but Grant chose that moment to reach down the back of Leo's pants and squeeze his right cheek firmly while pulling him against Grant's own inseam.

"How do you want to do this?" Grant asked in between messy kisses.

Whining, Leo pulled away. "I don't know. I've never done this before, remember?" Then he sucked Grant's lower lip into his mouth and bit down firmly.

"I remember," Grant assured him. He ground their trapped erections together, creating a rhythm of movement with counterpoints of gasps and mewls from Leo.

Just when Leo was certain that he was going to finish spectacularly, and in his pants, Grant stopped and pressed Leo away just far enough to break contact.

"What did you imagine, when you were lying in bed all alone? Did you ever think of me?" Grant's voice was low and wicked. He held Leo's hips firmly, not letting him grind against Grant anymore.

"Of course I fucking thought of you, you bloody fucking tosser." His complaints were much breathier than he intended. "I wondered what it would be like for you to fuck me, or even for me to be the one fucking you." He gasped as Grant rewarded him with a thumb teasing the small nub of his nipple.

"Yeah?" There was a tightness in Grant's voice that sent Leo's heart even faster. Of course, the way he had gone from rubbing to pinching probably had something to do with that as well.

"That feels so fucking good Grant, oh my fuck," Leo's head fell back and Grant leaned in to lick and kiss and bite at his delicate nipples.

"Sensitive," Grant remarked. "Fucking is a little advanced for your first time."

"I don't give a fuck, seriously, not even a little," Leo told him, surging forward to bite down on Grant's trapezius muscle. "I want everything."

Grant hummed happily and tilted his head to facilitate Leo's vampiristic tendencies. "How about a blow job? You want one of those?"

"Want to give you one," Leo admitted, licking his lips. "But I don't know how. Practically, I mean. I've done research."

"Of course you have," Grant laughed. "I bet you lay in bed at night, sucking on your fingers, thinking of me. How about I demonstrate for you first, and you can return the favor after."

Leo's eyes were wide, hungry and awed. He kissed Grant frantically, mumbling his assent into Grant's mouth. Grant pushed him away before Leo was ready to stop kissing, but placated him with another flick, followed by a moist kiss, against his left nipple.

Then Grant kissed each of Leo's ribs, one by one, until he reached the plane of Leo's stomach. He didn't have the definition that Grant had, but he didn't have a pudge, either. His stomach lay flat and smooth, bisected by a line of curly hair that thickened as it approached his waistband. Grant took great care to lathe this line with his tongue, pulling up with his lips, and enjoying the way Leo squirmed and bucked up into him.

He blew into Leo's belly-button, making the young man shiver, before nipping softly at the skin just beneath it. When Leo was busy writhing from the sensation, Grant pulled his pants down, slowly and carefully, making sure to avoid excess pressure on the engineer's cock. He wanted all of that for himself.

"Grant, fuck," Leo whined, propping himself up on his elbows so he could better pout at Grant.

"Patience, Leo. I promise I'm going to make you come." And Grant always kept the promises he made in that voice. He took great pleasure in making Leo keen and whine as he took the head into his mouth and applied the barest amount of suction. Leo seemed especially affected whenever Grant would lick around the edge of his foreskin, and he shouted when Grant combined both of those with the barest hint of a finger at his hole.

"Please, Grant, oh fuck, fucking bloody fucker," he gasped as he tossed his head from side to side with the emotions.

"You gonna come in my mouth?" Grant's voice was rough from Leo's cock. Leo didn't have a chance to answer before he was doing just that, with a loud groan that made Grant especially happy to have the soundproof barrier.

Grant wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and gently shoved Leo onto his side on the narrow cot. He curled around him, big spoon against Leo's back, and valiantly ignored his own throbbing cock to let Leo enjoy the afterglow.

Finally, Leo recovered enough to notice the cock pressing against his backside, and he tilted his hips into it.

"Do I get to suck you now?" He still sounded a little fucked out, but more than willing.

"I won't say no," Grant told him, giving Leo enough room to straddle Grant as he lay flat on the bed. "Honestly, though, if you don't feel up to it, I'll go for whatever you want to give me. I don't just want you for sex, you know."

"I know," Leo said delightedly. "Don't know what's wrong with your taste, but I can't bring myself to complain." Then he slid down until he was straddling Grant's thighs. He managed to get his sweats off, although it was a near thing, and his mouth was just as pretty around Grant's cock as he'd always imagined.

"God you're pretty," Grant told him, tracing his cheek with one hand. "Love the way you look like this." Leo hummed at the praise, making it so difficult for Grant not to buck into his mouth.

With direction and lots of enthusiasm, although it wasn't the most skilled blowjob Grant had ever received, it was probably the best in terms of how it made him feel. He tried to warn Leo about pulling off, but Leo was stubborn. He choked a little on Grant's come, but when he resurfaced, eyes watering a little and white hiding in the corner of his mouth, Grant didn't think he'd seen anything more beautiful.

This time when they curled up together, neither of them said anything. They basked in the closeness of their embrace and fell asleep, lulled by their synced breathing.

And even falling off the cot in the middle of the night couldn't make the evening any less perfect.


End file.
